For the first time in 20 years off-season battlefield visits it had snowed, resulting in nice 'different' pictures. Below two, hope you enjoy.

Regards,

Marco


Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt




Delville Wood

Thanks Marco

These are really good.

All the more impressive because the locations are deserted, or almost.

Aren't they always? Well at least when we visit.
Took very nice pictures of Beaumont-Hamel Mem. Park in the snow. Also no one else around. As it should be.

Regards,

Marco

Wow - look fantastic, one day I too hope to be present amongst the white stuff

Ryan

Marco,

While I lived in Belgium 00 - 03 I always wanted it to snow so I could venture out and get some nice winter shots of the Somme & Ypres but either the weather failed me or my duties with NATO prevented it.

I for one would like to see some more. If you would please post some of the others or email them to me.

Thanks,
Jon

Thank you for sharing, Marco. They are effective.

The strong lighting and contrasts on the first one create the effect that it has been painted rather than photographed, particularly with the intensity of the sky.

Why is the light pink? Did you filter it or were you there at sunset /sunrise,perhaps?

I always feel that the way that the blue-white of the show creates an yellowing effect on the headstones gives the cemeteries an eerie, almost ethereal and intangible feel. Very lonely. As you're taking the photo, we know that you're there, but no-one else living is present.

Gwyn

Hello Gwen,

Partly a dawn effect (which is nice) and partly new scanning software since I changed to Windows XP which does not yet does what I want it to do (which is not so nice).

Sorry Jon, the other images are probably going to be used on our website.

Regards,

Marco

I thought the shadows might be those of early morning. I liked the effect.

Gwyn (with a y)

Sorry GwYn. This one is for you only, by way of apology.

Marco,
Thanks for the two pictures I recieved from your recent visit to the battlefields.
I am extremely grateful for them would like to say thank you for sharing the photos above with the rest of the forum. Very atmospheric...
Anthony

Hey, Gwyn is not the only person from Wales, nice as she is!

Thank you, Marco. It's a strong image.

This is what the Dragon makes me think of:

Ar y llew a’r asp y cerddi: y cenaw llew a’r ddraig a fethri

…the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet

(Psalm XCI)

Last time I was at Mametz Wood the temperatures were stifling and in a certain part of the wood, just by one gaunt tree, there was a frightening, chemical, indefinable smell which neither of us had ever smelt before. It touched us both in an oppressively strange and chilling way.

Berlington, Marco posted it because he had spelt my name wrong. I have a lifelong horror of being called Gwen(doline) or variations on. Thank you for the flattering comment though. I will let you look at 'my' picture.

Gwyn

At bit off topic I know, see my 'a bit of a niggle' postings, but I am going to the Somme in May and will be spending a couple of days in Matmetz/Fricourt/Mametz Wood trying in my simple way to walk the trenches solo.

Marco,

excellent piccies, I like the one of the Welsh memorial - one of my favourite memorials (even though I have no link with Wales).

No worries mate, I'll just visit your web site latter.

The red Welsh dragon with the snow covered back ground is quite striking! I look forward to seeing more on your web page.


Cheers,
Jon

Great pics Marco! Snow is so dam' clean...
Burlington is that really you ? Could you please post some pics "Somme in Snow" by May?

Beautiful photos, Marco. Do you happen to know what kind of trees those are in the Delville Wood picture?